The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-07-09

L SAID. II nope you geC your proper siccP'
eyes. | lie down on that sofa for an
hour or so in the morning. That's all the
sleep want" :,
GLOW very unhealthy, said my husband.
"Belieye me, Mrs. MORT am something
of doctor-this is most imprudent con-
duct. You cannot run contrary to the laws
of health in this way without mourning the
penalty. Sleep is the first necessity"
''Don't quote Shakespeare on that sub
ject," interrupted Mrs. Mort. Giles not
appreciated in this house. You see him
there, extinguished.
She pointed to the bust over the door.
"That's Mort idea. 1t is rather spiteful.
He saws that William Shakespeare took all
the ideas and left nothing for posterity to
write about. That picture with its face to
the wall is Victor Hugo's. Mort had writ
ten book on Notre Dame. Impossible to
do anything with it. Hugo had monopolized
the subject. That's how we pay him out."
"Well, them" continued my husband,
smiling, III won't quote Shakespeare But
you must not deprive yourself of sleep. 1t
is most unwise. And another thing, light
is great essential to health. Where the
sun does not enter the doctor will, you know"
This, CHANGING at the darkened panes.
"Ah, you re wondering why we have shut
out the view, the beautiful view, of which
our landlord spoke SO much. No, We don't
care for views. Mort says that he takes no
pleasure in views, for distance suggests still
greater distance and the Eternal Beyond
an incomprehensible problem with which he
has always been unwilling to perplex his
brain. 1 agree with him, a good stone
wall or dirty window pane has eyer suticed
my eyes to rest upon. for l am then at lib
erty to imagine things beyond as far more
beautiful than what there really is, as the
landscapes of my imagination are more
beautiful than those one really sees"
az am sorry 1 can't afford you any tea, y
she continued, almost in the same breath.
"We have only one teapot, and my hus-
band keeps his cigars in it"
"Would it be indiscreet to ask" | said,
"what work Mr.. Mort is at present engaged
on? am anxiously looking forward to it,
1 cannot tell you with what pleasure | read
his last book"
she is writing series of Letters from
Heaven, she answered. "They are mas
terpieces."
She was about to add something when my
husband rose. He was evidently afraid that
something blasphemous was about to follow.
"Well," he said, as he took his leave, 81
don't read novels as rule, but | shall make
a point of getting that one from Nudes.
1t is subject full of interest to me as a
clergyman. Good day, Mrs. Mort"
"What relief to be out of that house,
1 said, as we stepped into the road. "Do
you think the woman is mad?"
"Mad, certainly not, but very eccentric.
wonder what the husband is like"
''IR he Is only visible between 10 at night
and in the morning." / answered 1--WE are
not very likely ever to know. We can't
call on him during those hours"
Mrs. Mort never returned our call, nor
did abe ever appear at our church, aud,
what was strange, neither she nor her hus-
band was ever seen to leave Sea View or
to take a walk in the village. The door Of
their house was always closed. The trades
men were spoken to through spyhole.
Our grocer told me that he had been Or
dered to leave his basket on the doorstep
whenever he came, and to return next day
for fresh orders and payment. He always
found his empty basket waiting for him
where he had left i, and by its side an en-
yelope containing his money and written
list of the things he was to hiring the next
time he called. Similar instructions had
been given to the other tfadesmen, The
tax gatherer, by an arrangement made with
Mr.. Dale by Mrs. Mort on signing the
lease, was paid by the Squires steward.
This extraordinary conduct interested us
greatly, and was the subject of interminable
conversation between ourselves and the
Dales whenever we met, These, by the
way, had met with reception similar to
ours on calling at Sea View. Their call
had never been returned. l am ashamed
to say we made some very unfair SUPPOSE
tions about the strange lady and her mys-
terious husband. This was, no doubt, be-
cause we were all disappointed in our hopes
of having pleasant additions to our small
society at Sandville. We forgot to make
allowances for people whose profession ex-
acted privacy and retirement, nor did We
remember that the Morts, having lived for
many years on the Continent, were most
probably quite unaware of the usages OF
English society. Mr.. Dale seemed very
annoyed at the conduct of his new tenants,
and openly regretted having let them his
house. His maiden sister spoke of Mrs.
Mort as an i'Irreligious Ghoul, while Mrs.
Dale strongly modified her opinion of the
lady whom, when signing q nine years
lease of her house, she had found Hcharm-
ing, though peculiar"
Our bad example was naturally followed
by the villagers, but unfortunately these
did not confine themselves to verbal specu-
lations. Unable to satisfy their curiosity
by variety of spying round the premises
of the villa they revenged themselves by
declaring war against its invisible inhabi-
tants. OF an evening, groups would form
outside its gates, and cries, insulting or
mirth-provoking, would be uttered, This
soon became "a regular habit. They called
it sdrawing the badger On one occasion
one Young man went SO far as to throw
dead cat up against one of the windows on
the first floor. 1t broke the pane and fell
through into the room, amid the shouts of
those present. Suddenly the window was
pulled open and Mrs. Mort appeared. She
looked ve5y angry.
"Hurrah, hurfah n screamed the yokels.
"We'ye drawn one badger, Now for
t'other."
But the laughter occasioned by this sally
was soon checked when it appeared that
Mrs. Mort was commencing reprisals. The
dead cat was first hurled back, and this
was followed by brisk fire of various
books, flung with unerring aim by the In
cepsed lady. These volumes, which were
all from various editions of Shakespeare's
works, gave the yokels some smart raPs
about the ears. It is doubtful how far
this scandal might not have gone had not
my husband come up at that moment.
He was indignant when he heard what had
occurred, and sharply rebuked his parish.
toners. many of whom had their hands full